"Man, it hurts a lot," Felton told USA TODAY Sports after the Vikings' preseason finale on Thursday night. "I've shed tears about it. It's embarrassing just for it coming back up."

Felton, 27, learned on Monday the NFL had denied his appeal of the suspension, which was related to his arrest on a DUI charge at a McDonald's drive-thru in June 2012.

He pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of reckless driving but was punished as a repeat offender under the league's substance-abuse policy because he had a previous drunk-driving arrest.

The suspension leaves reigning MVP Adrian Peterson without his lead blocker, months after the Vikings rewarded Felton with a three-year, $7.5 million contract.

"I don't cry about many things," Felton said. "But I definitely shed tears when it's dealing with all this stuff, just because you just feel like you're letting people down.

"I feel like I'm leaving my team high and dry. It hurts. That shows you it's not about the money and all that stuff. I care more about being there, out on the field, and helping us win."

Felton will lose $150,000 for the suspension â?? 3/17ths on his $850,000 base salary for 2013. He'll be eligible to return to the active roster on Sept. 23 and can make his regular-season debut six days later against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Wembley Stadium in London.

Thanks to a change in NFL rules, Felton is allowed to work out at the Vikings' facility and attend meetings during the suspension, just as teammate Jerome Simpson did during his suspension to start last season.

"It really helped us (Simpson) to be able to be around our team and participate in certain activities," Vikings coach Leslie Frazier said. "It'll be good for Jerome and be good for us that he's still a part of what we're doing and not ostracized. I think it's a great rule."

Felton might not have been ready for the opener anyway. He said he's still about a week away from being fully healed from the emergency appendectomy he underwent Aug. 14.

"I'm going to heal up, work out and I plan on being in the best shape of my career when I come back," Felton said. "That'll be my main mission from now until then, is making sure I'm on top of my game physically."

Felton has overcome adversity before. He bounced between three teams during a trying 2011 season and only got a minimum salary offer to join the Vikings in March 2012.

Three months later, Felton was arrested, and only now is he paying the price professionally by being kept off the field.

"It's just all about growing up," Felton said. "You're young. Things happen. It's about how you respond to things. I was able to respond in a good way last year. I'll continue to do that.

"Obviously, it's unfortunate. I'm not happy about it. But I've got to make it a positive now. That's all I can focus on."